Semaphore-signal and switch stand



' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. G. CUMMINGS.

SE-M'APHORE SIGNAL AND SWITCH STAND.

No; 366,306. Patented July 12,1887.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2v (No Model.) 7

A. G. CUMMINGS.

SEM-APHORE SIGNAL AND SWITCH STAND. No. 366,306.. Patented July 12,1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Ei rcE.

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEPENNSYLVANIA STEEL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SEMAPHORE-SIGNAL AND SWITCH STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,306, dated July 12,188 7.

Application filed October 27. 1886.

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT G. CUMMINGS, of Harrisburg, in the county ofDauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements inSemaphore Si nal and Switch Stands, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to that class of railway-signalsin which avertically-swinging arm or semaphore connected with a switch is used toindicate by its different positions to approaching trains the conditionof the switch, whether opened orclosed.

It relates more particularly to means for opcrating the semaphore orsignal arm positively and for insuring its adjustment to the dangerposition before the switch can be moved, and keeping it in that positionuntil the said switch has been carried home, or to the full limit of itsmovement.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 areelevations of my signal in the positions indicating,respectively,themainline, danger, andsiding. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the base on alarger scale, viewed from the oppositeside. Fig. 5 is a side elevationof the same. Fig. 6 is avertical sec tion on theline 1 1, Figs. 1, 2, 3,4, and 7. Fig.

8 is an elevation of the upper or signal portion of the apparatus,viewed from the same side as in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the base of the apparatus, whichmay be made in the form shown, or in any other suitable form, fastenedsecurely to the cross ties or timbers of the track, and provided at thetop and bottom with hearings, in which is j ournaled a vertical rotatingshaft, 2, carrying at its lower end a crank, 3, to which is attached theconnecting-rod for moving and holding the switch, in the usual manner.

To the upper end of the shaft 2 is fixed firmly, by apin or otherwise,acollarA, formed on one side to receiveahandlever, 5, attached theretoby a horizontal pivot, that it may drop from a horizontal to a pendentposition. On

moving the lever from right to left or from left to right the shaft andcrank are caused tooperatc the switch for directing the trains to themain line or siding, as the case may be. The top 6 of the base 1 is madeof flat circular Serial No. 217,861. (No model.)

1 form, with notches 7 and Sin opposite sides for the lower end of anupright rod, 10, which 6 is fastened thereto by a bolt, 27, orothersuit- 4.. able means. This. rigidly-fixed rod 10 rises tot 7asuitable heightfand supports atits upper endt t the semaphore arm orsignal ll, usually pivoted to a cap or casting, 12, fixed on the rogl.The semaphore hasa longarm"extendiiig outward from the support forreading by day, and a shorter arm extending in the opposite directionand provided with openings containing the glasses of different colors,or, if preferred, with a single glass, for night signaling in connectionwith the stationary lantern, in the customary manner. Looselysurrounding the lower end of the rod 10 is a sleeve, 13, having in oneside a vertical slot receiving the projecting side of the support or arm9, before referred to, by which the rotation of the sleeve is prevented,although it is permitted to slide vertically. At its base the sleeve isprovided with a hori- 8 zontal flange, 14, extending slightly more-thanhalf-way around the same, this flange being flat on its under side,rounded on its upper side, and provided in one edge with a verticalnotch, 15, registering with the notch 8 in the base. From the upper endof the sleeve 13 rises a tube, 17, fixed at its lower end thereto,surrounding the stationary rod l0,and connected at its top by a rod, 18,to the rear end of the semaphore. The sleeve and its connections are ofsuch weight that when released they will overcome the weight of thearm,and,descending,lift the same to ahorizontal position indicatingdanger. I commonly provide the tube with a head or casting, 16, to whichthe rod is attached, this head-being made of conical form at its upperend and adapted to slide into an opening in the under side of thelantern-bracket 19, which latter IOC arm, 21, rising from its upper sidein position to override the flange of the sleeve, and thus effect thepositive depression of the sleeve and elevation of the signal-armwhenever the handlever is raised to a horizontal position.

The lever is further provided on its under side with a short arm orshoulder, 23, adapted to bear against the outer edge of the flange atthe top of the base, and thus maintain the lever positively in ahorizontal position whenever it is carried horizontally out of line withthe notches in the base, or, in other words, whenever it stands in anyposition other than one of theextremes of its horizontal movement, andthis for a purpose which will presently appear. The operating-lever canbe depressed when opposite either of the notches 7 or 8- that is to say,when the switch is in either of its operative positions. \Vhen, however,the lever is turned horizontally to carry the switch the slightestextent from either ofits operative positions, the shoulder 23 locksthelever in its horizontal position,and thelever in turnholding thesleeve down locks the signal positively in the position indicatingdanger. The arm 21 engaging the sleeve sets the signal positively atdanger whenever the handlever is raised in position to unlock theswitch, and this before the movement of the switch can occur. Thus it isthat it becomesimpossible to either unlock or movethe switch until afterthe signal is set to the danger position.

Projecting from the sleeve 13 is an arm, 24, with a cam-groove, 25,formed in one side, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, to receive the stud22, formed on the side of the upper arm of the hand-lever. When thelever is carried horizontally to set the switch for the siding,

, the stud enters the groove, as shown in Fig.

3, and as the lever is depressed to lock the switch the stud, actingthrough the camgroove, adjusts the sleeve vertically to an intermediateposition, causing the signal to assume the inclined position shown inFig. 3, indicating the fact that the switch is in position to establishthe connection between the main line and siding. This it will beobserved is an intermediate position of the arm between the positionsindicating danger and the main line.

attached to the lower end of said rod, the stationary notched plateunderlying the sleeve, the intermediate rotary switch-operating collar,and'thehand-lever pivoted to the collar and provided with arms to engagethe sleeve and the underlying plate, respectively.

2. The vertical switch-operating shaft, the collar secured thereto, andthe hand-lever pivoted to the collar to swing vertically and providedwith arms 21 and 23, substantially such as described, in combinationwith the notched stationary plate cooperating with the lever, and thesemaphore-operating sleeve which re ceives a rising-and-falling motionfrom the lever.

3. In a signal-stand, the stationary base witla flanged notched top, therod rising therefrom and fixed rigidly thereto, the signal-arm jointedto the top of said rod, the non-rotating vertically-movable sleeve, theoperating-rod extending thence to the signal-arm, the rotary collarbeneath the sleeve, and the hand-lever pivoted to the collar andprovided with arms to engage the base-flange and the sleeve, said partsconstructed and combined for joint operation substantially as described.

4. The base having the flange with notches therein and theswitch-operating shaft mounted in said base, in combination with thecollar fixed to said shaft, the lever united to the collar by ahorizontal pivot and provided with the under shoulder and the upper armwith a side stud, and the vertically-movable nonrotatingsignal-operating sleeve provided with too the notched base and thegroove to receive the studof the lever.

5. In combinationwith the standard or base having the notched top flangeand the upright 9,-fixed thereon, the signal-sustaining rod secured tothe upright, the verticallysliding sleeve encircling the rod, and thehandlever provided with an arm acting beneath the sleeve to raise it,and with a second arm riding over the flange of the sleeve to insure itsdescent. I

6. In combination with the vertically-movable signal-operating sleeveprovided with the notched flange and the cam-groove, the vertically andhorizontally swinging lever having the arm to act beneath and lift thesleeve, and the second arm to enter the camgroove, whereby thedepression of the lever when in different horizontal positions will liftthe sleeve different distances and place the signal in differentpositions.

7. In combination with the stationary rod 10, the lantern-bracketrecessed in its lower end, and the signal operating tube encircling therod and entering the recess in the bracket, whereby the bracket iscaused to exclude snow and rain from the tube.

In testimony whereofI hereunto set my hand. in the presence of twoattesting witnesses.

ALBERT G. CUMMINGS.

Witnesses:

THOS. S. HARGEST, WM. H. M DDLETON.

